Pen Pals
by gneebee
Summary: Who could have known when Beth Greene wrote the letter so many lives would change forever. Young Bethyl Love in the Viet Nam era. Daryl Dixon Beth Greene AU
1. Chapter 1

**A/N This story set in 1968 was originally posted to my Little Love Stories collection. This is** ** **favorite of mine and a** fter Norman's Tweet and IG posts during the Still replay yesterday, I decided to post it as a stand alone two part story. Part two will post tomorrow. I hope you enjoy!**

 **Pen Pals**

 _January 1968_

The other guys all looked forward to it. Well sure they did, they all got letters from home. From their folks and their buddies and their sisters and their girlfriends. But he hated mail call, he never got a letter from anyone.

He didn't have anyone, just Merle. Merle was serving in the DMZ in Korea. Everyone thought the U.S. had left Korea years before but there was a huge U.S. military presence still there, and Merle had been deployed there for quite a long while. Anyway, it wasn't like he and Merle were going to be writing each other letters. They weren't that kind.

But shit, it did sort of get to him. He'd never admit it to anyone, he hardly admitted it to himself, but he was lonely. He wished he had someone who gave enough of a fuck about him to write him a letter once in a while.

The worst was Sarge made everyone go to mail call, it was an order, so he'd just sit there and act like he didn't give a fuck. And he tried hard not to.

Then one day Sarge called his name and damn if he didn't have a letter. He almost didn't know what to do with it. He stared at it until his buddy Grimes teased, "Shit Dixon, ya gonna open that letter or are ya just gonna admire the postage stamp?"

"Fuck you Grimes." And his buddy just laughed. The truth was Grimes was damn glad to see Dixon finally get a letter from someone.

What neither of them knew was that the Sarge had sent Daryl Dixon's name and service address to the Georgia Chapter of the American Red Cross. They had a program where they matched up soldiers who never received mail with folks who were willing to write letters to those soldiers.

Sarge liked the idea of the program and thought it was good for morale.

The letter was written on real pretty pink paper and there were little flowers up in the corner of it. The handwriting was small, delicate, perfect. She said her name was Beth Greene and that she'd gotten his name from her church as a soldier who was serving in Viet Nam, a soldier that might like to receive a letter from home.

She went on to tell him about herself. She lived on the family farm, she was 18 and in her senior year of high school. She liked music and horses and she liked fishing. She had an older brother Shawn and an older sister Maggie, both were away at college.

She said she didn't have any plans yet for after high school and that she liked living in a small town and on the farm. She just had no idea of what else she might want to try. She told him about the classes she was taking and about the music she liked and about playing the piano and guitar.

She said she sure would be happy if he would write her back, and she said she hoped they could write each other every week and be pen pals. She signed the letter: _Your New Friend, Beth_. And she'd drawn a little butterfly there next to her name.

The soldier was touched by the letter from this young woman he didn't know. She had taken the time to send him such a nice letter and tell him all about herself and ask if he'd please write her back. He couldn't recall that he'd ever written a letter to anyone but he wanted to write to her.

He got what he needed at the PX and he sat down and started to write his letter to Beth Greene. He just followed along with the way she'd written hers.

He told her his name was Daryl Dixon and that he was a private. He was nearly 20 and he'd graduated from high school when he was 18. He got his draft notice a week later.

He told her the Army offered a pretty cool deal if a soldier would extend their Viet Nam tour an additional 6 months. A guy got extra leave of 30 days in between the two tours. The Army would fly the soldier anywhere he wanted to spend those days off, free of charge. Even the flight time didn't count towards that time off.

He told her he didn't have any big plans and so it had sounded like a pretty fine deal to him, because the other thing was a guy got paid more money when he was serving in the war zone and Uncle Sam didn't take taxes from war zone soldiers. So even though he already had six months into his 12 month Viet Nam tour, he still had a year to go.

He told her his parents had both died but he sure didn't tell her how. He told her his only other relation was a brother, Merle, who was also in the army serving in Korea.

All the guys seemed to have snapshots of a girl in their wallet and he always had wished he had one too. So he included a Polaroid picture of himself another soldier had taken of him standing next to a jeep. He told her he'd like to be her pen pal, and he asked her could she please send him a wallet size picture of herself if she still wanted to write. He signed the letter: _Your Friend in Viet Nam, Daryl Dixon_. And he drew a little picture of an arrow next to his name.

He didn't know why he was so nervous mailing that letter but he was. And he found himself wondering if Beth Greene would ever even write him a letter back. Shit, maybe she'd see his picture and his crappy handwriting and tear up his letter.

* * *

She found herself checking the mailbox every day as soon as she got off the school bus. Finally one day it was there, a letter from the soldier.

She was so excited she sat right down there on the ground next to mailbox and opened it as fast as she could without tearing it. It was written on some kind of paper that was Army stationary from his base. His handwriting was big and manly. She liked it.

He told her a little about himself and he even included a picture, and my gosh he was so handsome. She hadn't expected that. And he wanted a picture of her for his wallet. Luckily she'd just gotten her senior pictures back and there were plenty of wallet-sized ones.

She ran in the house and yelled, "Hi Mama, I'm home," as she bounded up the stairs to her bedroom just as fast as she could.

She put her new Beatles 8-track tape in the player she'd gotten for Christmas, and sat down to write Private Daryl Dixon a letter. Homework could wait. She told him about the farm, what their crops were and the kinds of animals they raised and she told him all about her horse, Nellie.

She read that back to herself and she hoped he wouldn't think she was boring.

She told him about being on the intermural Volleyball team and she admitted to him she wasn't very good at sports but she did like playing the game. Besides she thought, boys didn't really expect girls to be good at sports.

She told him more about school and how much she hated math because it was just so gosh darn hard. But she was going to pass all of her classes and graduate from high school, that's all that concerned her about it. She was getting her diploma.

She ended the letter with: _Your friend, Beth_. And this time she put a little "x" next to her name. She hoped her soldier didn't think that was too forward. But friends kiss don't they?

* * *

He was kind of surprised how excited he was when the Sarge called his name. He'd prepared himself to never receive another letter from the farm girl.

He couldn't wait to get outside to read it, but not in front of everyone else. He slipped behind the building and opened it. There was that pretty pink paper with the flowers and the small delicate handwriting, but there was also a picture and he had to look at that before he even read a word.

He didn't expect her to be so pretty but she was, and not just everyday pretty, she was beautiful. Even though the picture was black and white he was sure her hair was blond and those eyes of hers blue, and she had the sweetest smile he'd ever seen.

He enjoyed reading all about the farm and her horse, and he almost laughed out loud when he read that no one could calm that horse down but her. He'd love it if he could see her play a game of volleyball and he would just bet she was a whole lot better at it than she thought.

He wasn't sure what that little "x" meant, he was going to have to try and find out from someone.

As soon as he could he sat down and wrote her a letter back. He told her he'd like to see her playing volleyball and he said maybe someday he could meet her and her horse. Then he had second thoughts, maybe he shouldn't say that. Maybe she'd think he was overstepping. Well she could probably tell he didn't know the first damn thing about writing letters anyway, or about girls, or much of anything for that matter. So what the hell? He'd just leave that part in there, yeah she'd probably never write him again anyway.

Since she'd asked and all he told her what he did over there in Viet Nam. He was one of the lucky ones he figured, he wasn't a combat soldier, he was a mechanic. He worked on the tanks and the other military vehicles of war and so he pretty much stayed there on base. The truth was he'd wanted to be a combat soldier like his brother Merle. Merle was an Army marksman. His brother was several years older and he'd already been in the military for 10 years when Daryl was drafted.

But Merle threatened Daryl, telling him he was not to volunteer for combat duty under any circumstance. "Ya flaunt them mechanic skills ya got or I'ma petition the army not ta let ya serve in Nam at all. We're the only two survivin' members of our family. Since world war two they take that shit real serious. You're the last a our bloodline and they'll keep ya stateside. Ya won't be gettin' that sweet combat pay ya want so bad."

So Daryl did what Merle said because the truth was he did want that sweet combat pay. He planned to try and open his own auto garage someday soon and he was saving every penny he could. He told pretty Miss Beth Greene all that. He hoped she understood and didn't think he was a coward for not fighting.

He signed the letter: _Your soldier friend, Daryl Dixon x_. He'd find out what that "x" meant later. For right now he was anxious to send the letter so maybe, just maybe, she'd send him one back.

* * *

After school she'd confided in her friend Amy about her pen pal Daryl. Amy suggested she send him cookies. "Soldiers love to get care packages Beth. You get one or two of your Mama's empty coffee cans. Wash them out real good so they don't smell like coffee, it'll flavor your cookies. Pop popcorn with nothing on it. You bake the cookies, cool them, and then wrap each one individually. Pack them in the coffee can between layers of the popcorn. The popcorn makes good packing and keeps moisture away from the cookies. The sealed can helps protect them and keep the cookies fresh. They have a long way to go."

"How do you know all that Amy?"

Amy couldn't keep from giggling, "I have a soldier pen pal too!"

And they told each other everything about their soldiers.

When she got home there was a letter from Private Dixon in the mailbox and she actually squealed. Again she sat right down by the mailbox and opened his letter, and read it three times. She kept running her finger over the little "x" next to his name and she could just swear her tummy was full of butterflies. She rushed up to her room and read the letter three more times, stopping every couple of sentences to stare at his picture and rub her finger over that little "x".

Then she ran down the stairs and into the kitchen where Mama was fixing dinner. She was talking a 100 miles an hour, begging Mama to let her make cookies and send them in coffee cans to the soldier.

Mama kept saying, "Calm down Bethie and talk a little slower. I can't understand half of what you're saying."

Finally it connected and to her surprise her Mama said, "Well that sounds like a wonderful idea. I can't imagine a young soldier never receiving a letter or a package. I'll tell you what, tomorrow while you're at school I'll get the cans ready and the corn popped. You come right home and make the cookies, you'll have to make an extra couple of dozen for Daddy. When they're cooled I'll help you pack them. The next day on your lunch break you can take the package to the post office and mail them."

Beth was jumping up and down with excitement, "Thank you Mama you're the best Mom in the whole world! This is so exciting I can't wait! What kind should I make?"

Mama laughed and said, "I have no idea, but a person can hardly go wrong with chocolate chip or a good old-fashion oatmeal cookie."

She didn't wait to just mail a letter with the cookies. As soon as she was done with the dinner dishes she ran right back up to her room and wrote him a nice long letter. She added the tiniest dab of perfume on the pink stationary with the flowers in the corner. Another little something she'd learned from Amy. This time she signed it: _Your Special Friend, Beth xx_. The next morning she dropped it in the mailbox on the corner by her school.

In the meantime he'd found out what that "x" meant from Grimes and then threatened to kill his buddy if he ever brought it up again.

When Sarge called his name at mail call he held on tight to her letter until he could get outside with it. He went behind the building and he carefully opened the letter and it smelled so pretty he couldn't help but wonder if that's what Beth Greene smelled like.

She didn't tell him about the cookies she was going to make and send to him, that was a surprise. But pretty Beth Greene, who smelled real pretty too, told him more about school and about the school play and about the small town where she lived. It all sounded real nice to him.

To his surprise she said she wished he could come meet her and her horse too. She said if he ever did come maybe they could go fishing together and have a picnic by the river. That made his heart catch just a little, she really did want to meet him.

This time she'd signed the letter: _Your Special friend, Beth xx_. Wow. He rubbed his finger over those "x's" and then he opened his wallet and he looked at her picture. He couldn't believe this pretty girl would want to meet him and that she'd sent him two kisses.

He wondered if she'd ever really want him to go there and if she ever really would kiss him. Because if she would, he'd go and he sure would be willing to give Beth Greene all the kisses she wanted.

As soon as he was able he rushed back and wrote her a letter. He reminded her about that 30 days off he had coming. He asked if she really would be willing to meet him because if she would, he'd be more than willing to travel there. He told her how nice the letter had smelled and he got bold and he asked her if that was how she smelled. And he wasn't sure what had come over him or when he got so brave, but he told her he liked those kisses and he signed his letter: _A soldier who's thinking about you, Daryl xxx_.

Four days later a big cardboard box came for the soldier. He couldn't imagine what it was going to be. He knew it had to be from Beth Greene, she was the only person who ever sent him anything in the mail. He took it behind the building and opened it with his pocket knife. In the box were two Maxwell House coffee cans, scotch tapped to the top of one was a letter.

It smelled real pretty like the other one and he just held it for a minute. Then he saw on the back that where the envelop sealed she'd drawn a tiny heart. That's when his own heart felt like it went right up in his throat.

He was real careful when he opened the letter so as not to tear the part where that little heart was. And this time he found he went right to the end of the letter first, just to see how she'd signed it. And he was real glad he was sitting down because it said: _Love from your special friend, Beth xoxo_.

He took a deep breath, he opened his wallet and looked at her picture, and then he read the letter.

He closed his eyes and he leaned his head back against the building and he couldn't believe she'd written him such a nice letter, and the letter had mentioned the cans were full of cookies she baked him. She said she hoped they wouldn't spoil or get too broken. As he read her concerns he knew it didn't matter, he would eat them no matter what. They were cookies from her and she'd made them just for him. But what really caused his heart to skip a beat was that she'd written that word to him, that word he couldn't recall anyone ever having spoken to him much less written to him, that "love" word.

The jungle heat wasn't the only thing making him feel so warm.

He took one of the cans from the cardboard box and he opened it so carefully, like it would surely break at any moment. He pulled the little plastic top from the can and he saw the popcorn there. He thought what the hell, and he ate the popcorn until he reached the first layer of cookies.

He took one out and he just held it there in his hand for a minute. His mind was blown by this gesture and he had to take a deep breath. He unwrapped the cookie and it was broken into four pieces and the chocolate chips were a little melted. He put a piece of the broken cookie in his mouth and he knew beyond a doubt, it was the best damn thing he'd ever tasted.

* * *

Mama had her baking before she ever even started kindergarten but never had she put so much care and so much feeling into anything she'd made. She thought maybe it was a little bit mean of her, but any cookies she didn't think were just perfect she put on the plate for Daddy. Daddy wouldn't notice anyway.

She even said a little prayer that he liked chocolate chip and that he'd be happy to receive the cookies from her. She'd been so careful when she packed them and she hoped he could tell by the care she took how much it meant to her to send him these cookies. She couldn't believe she got so daring in her letter as to invite him again to come see her, but mostly she couldn't believe she'd signed it "love." She hoped that didn't "scare him off." Maggie always said boys got nervous when girls started mentioning "love" in any way, shape or form.

Six days later she received a letter he'd sent before he got the cookies. Even though she was all by herself when she read it she felt herself blush when she read his words, "Your letter smelled so pretty, and you're so pretty. Is that what you smell like? Because I liked it a lot." And then he told her that yes, he wanted very much to travel there to see her. He reminded her he had those days off coming but if she changed her mind he'd understand.

That made her feel sad. Didn't he know that if she asked him to come it was because she was sure she wanted him to? She wrote him right back and she told him that of course she meant it, that yes she wanted very much for him to come. She told him she was graduating June 7th. If he could come after that she'd have lots of free time.

Ten days later a letter came he'd written the day he received the cookies. He told her they were the best cookies he ever tasted and that he'd had to hide them from his buddies. Everyone was always trying to get him to share. He said he'd share most anything but he'd never share something she'd given him. She was so flattered and again, even though she was alone she felt herself blush at his words.

He also wrote that he was going to start filling out his paperwork for his 30 days off. He told her all she had to do was give him a date she'd like him there and he'd try real hard to get that time off to come. But he was going to come anyway just as soon as he could get there. Those butterflies in her tummy would not be still.

They continued to exchange letters with increasing frequency. As the time drew closer for his 30 days they were both becoming more and more nervous ,and also more and more impatient for the day to arrive.

She talked to Mama first. "Mama he doesn't really have a regular home. His Mama and Daddy passed away and his older brother is serving in Korea, isn't there any way he could stay with us while he's here? Please Mama."

"Beth, Sweetheart, no matter how nice this young soldier is I don't think Daddy would ever agree to let him stay two bedroom doors down from yours. But you know what I could do? I could ask Otis and Patricia. They have a nice guest room and I don't think they ever use it. He'd be less than a mile away. Let me talk to them."

She was so excited when Otis and Patricia said yes, they'd be happy and proud to open their home to a soldier. It was so hard to believe this was all coming together and she was finally going to meet Private Daryl Dixon. It seemed like a dream she'd surely wake up from real soon.

When she got a letter from him saying he'd be there on the 5th of June, in time to attend her graduation ceremony and the graduation dance, she thought she'd shake right apart from the excitement. And he was so funny and cute, in his letter he said he didn't know one single dance step but if she was willing to try and teach him he'd be willing to try and learn.

He had all his plans laid out. He'd be coming in on a big military transport plane and he'd figure a way to get himself a shower on the base. He'd hitch a ride or whatever to get to his pickup truck he kept in a storage lot, then he'd drive the three hours to her house.

All he had was his army clothes so he thought maybe he'd wear his fatigues to her house, but he was definitely bringing his dress uniform for her graduation and the dance.

He couldn't believe all the thinking and the planning he'd done about this trip. But every time he looked at the stack of letters with the x's and the o's on them, and that word "love," and he looked at her pretty face in his wallet, he knew it would all be worth it and then some.

00

 **A/N I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it. Please leave a comment / review. If you'd like to see the chapter photo it's on my tumblr blogs gneebee and bethylmethbrick. Part two of the story will post tomorrow. Until then remember, I love ya large! xo gneebee**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N Thank you for stopping by for part two of Pen Pals. I hope you enjoy!  
**

 **Pen Pals Part Two**

The day had finally come and Daryl would be arriving soon! He'd told her he thought he'd be able to get there by four o'clock that afternoon. She couldn't believe Mama and Daddy were making her go to school. Shoot it wasn't like she was going to learn anything with only a day and a half left.

But Mama was firm, "You're going Miss. It would be silly to lay out now, you're almost done. You have perfect attendance all through high school and you don't want to ruin it."

When the school bus pulled up to her driveway she practically jumped out of it, ran all the way into the house and up the stairs to her room. She had to hurry, Daryl would be there in less than an hour.

She freshened up quickly, carefully applied her makeup and fixed her hair. She slipped into the adorable little paisley print mini skirt Amy had loaned her, along with the gogo boots.

As she was coming down the stairs Daddy took one look, pointed a finger and said, "Right back up to your room daughter. You will not be wearing a skirt like that to meet this young man, or at any other time for that matter."

"Please Daddy it's the fashion, pretty please?" She tried giving him her best puppy dog eyes.

"Don't waste your time Bethie, there are a few things your old Daddy won't compromise on and this is one of those things. Now hurry up before the boy gets here."

She didn't have time to argue with Daddy so she rushed back to her room and put one of her own skirts on. It was so old-fashion, it came clear down almost to her knees and she was sure it looked downright frumpy. She hoped the soldier wouldn't think she was completely out of it.

He couldn't wait to meet her but shit he was so nervous, not only was he finally meeting Beth Greene but he was going to be meeting her whole damn family. Well her parents anyway. He was ready to meet her, way more than ready, it was just that he hadn't really thought about having to meet them. But whatever it took he was going to do it.

He'd been ready to meet her since right after he read her first letter. He could tell by it she was real nice and real sweet and the words she wrote were so nice and so sincere. At that time he didn't even know what Beth Greene looked like, he just knew she was real pretty on the inside. He was also grateful to have her in his life. The soldier would never be able to put into words how much her letters and packages had helped him get through those long lonely days in the jungle.

She was on pins and needles, what if he was disappointed? What if she wasn't pretty enough or oh-my-gosh, not sexy enough? She was pretty sure she wasn't sexy at all, especially in this dowdy skirt that came almost to her knees.

But she'd done everything she could. She had on her new petal pink lipstick, light blue eye shadow, just a little, and some mascara. She hoped Daddy wouldn't squawk about that. And she hadn't forgotten a dab of the perfume he liked behind each ear.

Shit he hoped he didn't sweat too much and that he could manage to form his thoughts and words into complete sentences and that she didn't think he was ugly or something. He'd practiced real hard what he'd say to her and Grimes had given him some advice on what he might say to her folks, and what to discuss with her Dad. He appreciated the help and advice because he had no point of reference for this kind of thing.

He was sure his stomach went right up in his throat when he turned down the dirt driveway leading to her house. Damn it was big, old and beautiful. Now he was further intimidated, she was used to having a lot and he didn't think he had much to offer.

She was sitting on the window seat in her bedroom with the curtain barely pulled back, just enough to see down the driveway. When she saw that truck coming she swore her tummy tied up in one big knot. She didn't run down the stairs because she was afraid her nerves had her so unsteady she'd fall and land flat on her face. Besides, what if she perspired or something? That would be just awful.

When the knock came to the door she worried she might throw up from the combination of nerves and excitement. She was almost grateful now that Daddy was so old-fashion, he insisted on opening the door to greet the soldier first. When she got a peek at that young man standing there, oh my. He was everything she'd imagined he would be. Handsome and strong-looking with a shy smile on his face. He shook Daddy's hand and said, "Hello Mr. Greene I'm Daryl Dixon, a friend to your daughter Beth." Daryl heaved a sigh of relief, just to himself of course, he was so damn glad that came out right. He'd been rehearsing it all the way there.

Then over her Daddy's shoulder his eyes caught her eyes and they locked onto each other. He wondered if he'd ever be able to speak again. She was every bit as beautiful, shit more beautiful, than her picture. And she looked so sweet, just like he'd imagined her being every time he read her letters and looked at the picture in his wallet.

Mama and Daddy just gave each other "that look," the one that parents give one another when they know their little girl is living in a whole new world.

Daddy broke the moment up then, "Please come in young man, let me introduce you to my family." And he did, but Mama and Daddy knew. They could clearly see the young soldier only had eyes for one person in that farmhouse, and it wasn't either one of them.

Daddy supposed he was getting soft in his old age when he said, "Why don't you two young people take a little walk? Bethie, you can show Daryl some of the farm. We'll see you back here for supper." Those two young people didn't hesitate for a moment, they were out the door like they were leaving a burning building.

They strolled in silence until he figured they'd turned enough of corner they wouldn't be visible from the house and then he took her hand. But the farmer's daughter wanted more than that, she put her arms around him and started to hug him and that was all the encouragement the soldier needed, he hugged her back. They held onto each other real tight like that for a while. Finally she leaned her head back just a little and they were looking in each-others eyes and she spoke, "I've wanted to hug you for so long now. I'm so happy you decided to come meet me."

Since he was confident he could no longer speak, he decided the best thing was to just do what he'd been wanting to do for so long. He nuzzled his face into her neck and hair a little and he whispered in her ear, "Ya smell so pretty, just like your letters." And they were both feeling a certain warmth all over. It was then she began to softly cry, just a little, the soldier panicked a lot. "Whatsa matter, did I do sumthin' wrong?"

"No I'm just so happy."

"Well then if you're happy don't cry no more. We're together now and I'm happy too. Damn girl, I didn't think it was possible for ya ta be any sweeter or prettier than I thought ya were, but ya are." And they both got pink cheeked and he kissed her.

He took her hand then and they started the walking they'd set out to do and they did a whole lot of talking. They talked about everything. The young couple shared their secrets and their thoughts about what they wanted in life and they talked a lot about the letters they'd sent each other, and just how much those letters had meant to them.

They got so caught up in each other and their talking they were almost late getting back to the big farmhouse for supper. But they made it and it was then Daryl met Patricia and Otis, they'd be joining everyone for the evening meal. He was happy and relieved to find they were just nice simple farm folks with a friendly manner and a nice way of being.

They all sat down to supper and he hadn't expected what came next. He was pretty sure no one caught on he didn't know what the hell he was doing, he just did what they did. Everyone joined hands and her daddy said a prayer. Her daddy wasn't one damn thing like his Daddy had been.

It was after supper when she, her Mama and Patricia were done clearing the table that he was completely bowled over. He was glad he was sitting down so he didn't fall down when her Mama said, "Daryl, Beth tells us you had a birthday last month and I do believe she has a little surprise for you." And damn if mama didn't turn the lights off then and here came Beth from the kitchen carrying a cake with lighted candles on it. He was so embarrassed when they all began to sing "Happy Birthday," he was relieved the lights were off. He just knew his face must look as red as tomato. But even more than he was embarrassed, the young soldier was very moved by this gesture and it just confirmed what he already knew about Beth Greene, she was the sweetest and nicest person in the world.

00

She couldn't have been more proud and grateful than she was to have her handsome young soldier in attendance as she made her high school graduation. But she sure did wish he could be sitting with her rather than out in the audience with Mama and Daddy. And that evening when he escorted her to the graduation dance looking so handsome in his dress uniform, she'd never been so proud to be seen with anyone. And she didn't miss the way the other girls were all giving him the eye, she also noticed he only looked at her.

He'd said he couldn't dance and he wasn't real smooth, but the way he was holding her in his arms she just didn't care. It all seemed perfect to her, he seemed perfect to her.

He'd gotten a diploma but he hadn't bothered to attend his graduation ceremony, he couldn't see the point. No one would be there to watch. Merle was serving over in Germany at the time. Besides, his brother had already spent his 30 day leave visiting with Daryl at the beginning of the school year. They'd spent a lot of time out hunting and that meant more to him than Merle coming to some graduation ceremony. But he hadn't wanted to miss her graduation. And she looked so darn pretty up there in her white cap and gown, but he knew she was nervous in front of the crowd. He just tried to smile some encouragement her way.

It was such a proud moment for him when later that evening he got to escort her to the dance. She was by far the prettiest girl in the room and he knew for a fact she was the sweetest, and he was sure all those other guys wished they were him.

She'd apologized to him about her dress. She said her parents weren't too modern and so she'd had to wear the high-necked dress with elbow length sleeves and the skirt that came to just below her knees. All the other girls would be far more fashionable.

He'd put his hand to the side of her face and smiled, "Ya look beautiful and I like that dress a lot, I like seein' you in it. Don't ya never apologize for the way ya look girl, yer gonna be the prettiest girl at the dance and you're always gonna look pretty ta me."

It was after the dance, when they were alone in his truck, he had his arms around her and they were kissing and then he put his lips to her ear and told her, "I love ya Beth."

And to his pleasant surprise she said it back, "I love you too Daryl."

The next week they had their picnic and did some fishing and she asked him if he'd like to go for a swim in the pond. He told her that he would but first he had to tell her the truth about something. And he did, he told her all of it. He told her the story about his Mother and Father and about what things were like for him and Merle. Then he slowly unbuttoned his shirt and he said to her just before he slipped it off completely, "I'm kinda messed up there, the skin on my back, ya may not like looking at it. But as serious as we're gettin' ya need ta see in case ya decide it's too disgustin'."

Pretty Miss Beth Greene who smelled so pretty and was so sweet and nice, gently touched that skin of his back and tears came to her blue eyes as she told him, "Something like that is never going to change my feelings for you Daryl. I love you." And they clung tight to one another and then they forgot about that swimming for a while. They were way too busy getting to know each other in other ways.

But the soldier had great respect for the pretty farm girl and her family and he hadn't let it go too far, that was something he was willing to wait for, at least for a while.

The young couple seemed to be inseparable, in fact Mama and Daddy had pretty much resigned themselves to the fact they just couldn't keep those two apart. A week and a half before he was to ship back out he asked her Daddy if he could speak to him alone. He already had that ring in his pocket, he'd bought it at the PX before he left Viet Nam to come see her, just in case. He was nervous as a cat but Grimes had told him what to talk to her Daddy about and how to ask.

Daddy and Mama had seen this coming. They'd watched as the two young people had grown ever closer even though it had been such a short time. But after six months of writing so often, and then seeing each other all day and half the night for three weeks straight, Mama and Daddy knew their daughter and the young soldier were in love.

They'd both expected the young man to ask to speak to Daddy and they'd agreed on how he'd respond. They liked the young soldier very much, they respected him and they could see how much he respected and cared for their daughter. They were not at all unhappy about this choice their daughter seemed to have made.

Patricia had bragged on him too, telling Mama he was the perfect houseguest, quiet, tidy always offering to help her and Otis around the place and often mentioning how grateful he was to them for letting him stay. Patricia told Mama the truth was, they were going to be sad to see the young soldier go.

He hadn't said anything to Beth because Grimes told him that with older southern men he'd for sure better talk to Daddy first. And again he knew just about anyone knew more about how a fellow was supposed to handle this stuff than he did. Fuck, this was intimidating as all get out.

They went in her Daddy's office and Daddy put him right on the spot, "What is it you wanted to talk to me about son?"

And the young soldier twisted his hat a little in his hands but he made sure to look her Daddy in the eye. "I'ma be back from Nam in six months, I muster out two months after that. I'm not gonna re up or nuthin'. I'm lookin' ta buy a business. I been savin' since Junior High School ta start my own auto garage. I always did work and I saved what I could. I's talkin' to a fella in town, a man by the name a Dale Horvath who owns the garage. Anyway he says he'd like ta sell, ta retire, I told him I'd like ta buy. We struck a deal for me ta buy him out when I get back. A course I'd still have ta be payin' him on it a few more years, but I feel good the business would pay for itself and I could still be providin' for a family."

"What I'm gettin' at Mr. Greene is I'd like ta ask if you'd see your way clear ta let me marry your daughter Beth. We'd be livin' here in town, I wouldn't take her away from ya. I wouldn't dream a takin' her far from her Mama and you. I can promise ya I'd treat her right, work hard, never hurt her in any way and never let no one else hurt her either. I love her sir, I wouldn't hesitate ta take a bullet for her."

At least her Daddy had a small grin, he didn't look fit to kill or anything. "Well son I can see there's a lot of love between you two, and I don't doubt your sincerity for a minute. My one condition is you don't marry her before you leave. I'd feel better if it wasn't rushed. That's not to say you can't ask her, but let's wait and see how things go while you're gone."

And Daryl thought he knew what her Daddy was thinking, she'd get sick of waiting for him and he'd get that letter every guy he served with dreaded getting, that "Dear John" letter. But he held a hand out, shook her Daddy's and said, "Thank you sir, thanks for your faith in me and I'll do like ya want."

He figured her Daddy was right. She might get sick of waiting on him, or it was possible he could get hurt or killed. Who knew? But he was at least going to ask her. So he told her he'd like to go back to that fishing spot with her, do a little fishing and maybe take a walk.

He didn't get too dramatic, he thought he'd just embarrass her and himself if he tried the kneeling down and all. So instead, when they were seated on the blanket with their legs stretched out in front of them he took her hand. "Best day a my life was the day I got a letter from a pretty young farm girl in Georgia askin' me ta be her pen pal. I knew right away she was sumthin' special. Now that I got ta meet that girl and spend some time with her there ain't no doubt in my mind, she's the most special girl in this world. I'd be the happiest man alive if she'd say yes ta marryin' me."

He pulled that little ring from his pocket and held it out to her. She was smiling with tears in her eyes and at first all she could do was look in his eyes and say, "Oh." She took a deep breath, almost laughed from nervousness and said, "Yes, yes I would, I'd be honored to marry such a fine man."

He slipped the ring on her finger and he kissed her tenderly. They held each other tight for a while and then they began excitedly talking about the plans for their wedding and for their life beyond that wedding day.

00

He'd been back in country now for two months and damn he missed her more every day. It had been especially hard in the beginning when he'd had to wait so long for that first letter to arrive. Grimes told him it always seemed to take longer when a guy'd been gone a while for his mail to catch up with him. It hadn't stopped the soldier from sending her several letters already.

Three weeks in the Sarge called his name and handed him a stack of letters held together with a rubber band. Most were from her and he studied the postmarks to try and open them in order. They smelled so pretty and as much as he loved that, it also made him long for her all the more. She told him how much she missed him and how she'd been filling her time.

It turned out she'd taken a job working for Mr. Horvath down at the auto garage. Besides having a little money of her own coming in she was learning all about the business. Well the front office business, like talking to customers on the phone, making out the work orders, bills and receipts, and she was even learning how to do the daily bookkeeping. She told him she was just so darned excited to be his number one helper in his new business. That made him smile and he felt so happy and just a bit overwhelmed to think that his sweet, pretty fiancé would want to be his 'number one' helper.

What moved him even more was the way she signed her letter: _I love you with all my heart, Your future wife Beth xoxoxo_.

He read the rest of her letters and then he wrote her right back. He didn't have much to say, there was not much new so he just talked about what he was hoping for in their life together and how he could hardly wait to get home to her. And he told her how special it made him feel that she would want to help in the business, and he told her he looked forward to them building their future together. He wrote that he couldn't wait to marry her and make her Mrs. Daryl Dixon. He signed the letter: _I love you with all my heart, Your future husband Daryl xoxoxo_.

The other letters were from her Mama and Daddy, and Patricia and Otis had also sent him a nice letter. There was even a short one from Mr. Horvath telling him what a wonderful job Beth was doing and that she'd be a big asset to his business. That made the soldier smile with pride. Over the course of the next three days he replied to each letter he had received.

And then he wrote a letter to his brother. He told him all about the young woman who had stolen his heart. He told him the whole story of how they'd gotten together, even though he feared that Merle might tease him. But shit, that was just Merle's way. He told his brother when the wedding would be and said he sure did hope he could come and stand up with him.

Three weeks later he received a letter from Merle. He was surprised the nice things his brother had to say. That he was proud of him, proud that he was going to be a married man and a business owner. He said he'd already talked to his C.O. about the time off and he would be there proudly standing by his little brother's side on his wedding day.

And he'd gotten a letter from Beth that contained two pictures. One was a photo of her and him that her Daddy had taken when they went to the Graduation dance. She looked so pretty in that dress she'd been embarrassed about, and he could still remember how good she'd felt in his arms as he'd tried so hard not to step on her feet. The other picture showed her and her Mama holding up a big wooden sign her Daddy had made. The sign said, "Dixon's Garage." He almost got choked up over that. It surprised him how these good people had welcomed him as one of their own.

The young soldier couldn't believe how much his life had changed since he received that first letter from the Georgia farm girl. It was so perfect he feared the other shoe would drop.

00

He was excited to finally be heading to the Greene family farm, and there was nothing but the biggest smile on his face when he saw her standing there on the front porch with her own big smile. He barely got the ignition turned off before he was jumping out of the pickup and right into her arms.

He just had three days off and then he had to report back to Fort Benning for the rest of his army service. But he was back in the states and home to her, and that's what counted.

Much to Daryl's surprise her Daddy even let him stay there on the farm in her brother's old bedroom. Daryl shook his hand and told him he was honored by the faith and trust the man had in him, and he would live up to that faith and trust.

The next day they went into town and he met with Mr. Horvath and they signed the papers and Daryl gave him his certified check for the down payment on the garage.

Then the young couple went looking for a place to live, the place where they would live their first few years as man and wife. They settled on a small one bedroom apartment above the Mercantile. It was old but well cared for and all freshly painted. They thought it was grand, they thought everything about it was just perfect and perfect for them.

They furnished it with items purchased at the second-hand store and the farm girl went to work prettying it up. She made slip covers for that drab old sofa and chair, and a flowered table cloth for the small kitchen table they'd purchased. It had that big chip in the plastic top but the cloth covered it and brightened up the little kitchen. Mama gave her a quilt for the bed that Beth's Grandma had made, and she and Mama made pretty pillows to go with it and curtains for all the windows.

Patricia surprised the young couple with the gift of a set of dishes and flatware that had been her Mother's. "Otis and I have no children to pass our things on to and we can't think of a couple we'd want to have these things more than the two of you."

The young couple agreed they had the nicest home and the best family and friends in the world.

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They stood facing each other in the small church. She was in a pretty white dress her Mama had worn when she she'd married her Daddy, and her sister was standing next to her in a pink flowered dress. Even though he'd been out of the army for a week he wore his dress uniform and his brother stood beside him in his dress uniform.

The young groom was relieved the ceremony didn't last too long because he was a nervous wreck. He just wanted her to be his wife, have it be official so they could start their lives together.

His buddy Rick Grimes was there. He was now a civilian working for the Sheriff's Department over in King County. He made everyone pose a few times while he took photographs with his new Instamatic camera. Then they all went to the farm and had a real nice meal and the young couple did what they'd been just dying to do. They got in his pickup and drove to their new home.

Daryl wasn't one little bit upset or embarrassed about the tin cans dragging behind his pickup or the "Just Married" sign in the back window. All courtesy of Merle, Maggie and Shawn. He was proud.

They practically ran up the stairs to their new little home and when they reached the door he unlocked it, then picked her up in his arms and carried his new bride across the threshold.

He set her down gently, took her in his arms, kissed her and then pulled back just a little and asked with a smile, "Even though we're married now will ya still be my pen pal and write me a love letter once in a while Mrs. Dixon?"

It made her cheeks turn a little pink but she smiled at her new husband and said, "I think we should be pen pals forever and never stop writing each other love letters Mr. Dixon."

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 **A/N A big thanks to my sweet FF friend Kevkye who sent me the prompt that put this story in my head. It was actually for a Merle fic where he's in Iraq and gets a pen pal. Poor Kye, I'm always asking her if I can change up her prompts a little bit, or a lot. And she's every bit as sweet and nice as Beth Greene Dixon, she always says "Yes." I welcome all of you to send me prompts and if I can make them work I'll give it a go.** ** **To see the chapter photo please visit my tumblr blogs gneebee or bethylmethbrick.** Again, I appreciate you taking the time to read this story and I would love to read your reviews / comments. Love ya large! gneebee xo**


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